Bricklayer Commits £1.5m Tax Fraud

A former bricklayer, Jeffrey Bakewell, set himself up as a tax adviser in 2009. His only qualification was experience, and he advised clients from the construction sector until 2015. The majority of his clients were crane drivers, but he also advised builders and other construction workers. He did not register as a tax adviser with HMRC, which is required by law, failed to keep due diligence records and did not maintain records which are required by Money Laundering Regulations.

He advised his clients to make claims for travel and subsistence payments, although in reality these costs had already been covered by their employers which was found out by HMRC investigators after they received a tip-off.

Between 2009 and 2015, Bakewell was paid a total of £1.5m, of which he pocketed £301,897 and he used these fraudelent earnings to fund his gambling habit.

Bakewell has admitted tax fraud at the Chelmsford Crown Court and has been jailed for five years.

Paul Barton, assistant director of the fraud investigation service at HMRC, said 'Bakewell had no financial qualifications and set himself up solely to advise people on fraud. He charged for his advice on how to steal money from our vital public services but his appalling conduct has now put him behind bars.'